UNIVERSITY   OF   CALIFORNIA 

COLLEGE    OF   AGRICULTURE 

AGRICULTURAL   EXPERIMENT  STATION 

CIRCULAR  No.  239 


HARVESTING  AND  HANDLING  APRICOTS  AND 
PLUMS  FOR  EASTERN  SHIPMENT 

By  WILLIS  P.  DURUZ 


In  order  to  secure  the  greatest  returns  from  growing  good  fruit,  it 
must  be  properly  picked  and  handled,  as  well  as  honestly  and  attrac- 
tively packed. 

In  the  interest  of  better  methods  of  preparing  apricots  and  plums 
for  market  as  fresh  products,  the  Division  of  Pomology  of  the  College 
of  Agriculture  has  collected  information  and  data  from  successful 
growers  of  these  fruits  and  this  information  is  herewith  presented.* 

HARVESTING 

When  to  Pick 

Apricots. — The  color  and  size  of  the  fruit  indicate  the  proper  time 
to  pick.  The  "undercolor"  should  just  be  turning  yellow  or  "straw" 
color  when  the  fruit  is  harvested.  Many  growers  make  the  mistake  of 
picking  apricots  too  green  in  order  to  secure  the  high  prices  paid 
for  early  fruit.  Apricots  fail  to  attain  good  quality  if  picked  pre- 
maturely. 

The  following  tablet  indicates  the  approximate  relative  times  of 
ripening  of  the  principal  varieties  in  the  Sacramento  Valley : 
Variety  Time  of  Eipening 

Newcastle  Early  June     1  —  June  10 

Royal  June     1  —  June  20 

Blenheim  June  12  —  June  30 

Tilton  June  15  — June  30 

Peach  June  20  —  June  30 

Moorpark  June  25  —  July   10 


*  The  writer  is  indebted  to  the  following  individuals  and  organizations  for 
information  contained  in  this  circular:  Mr.  and  Mrs.  A.  G.  Tucker,  F.  B.  Mc- 
Kevitt,  Jr.,  C.  Neil,  and  A.  C.  Wright  of  Vacaville;  W.  S.  Killingsworth  and 
F.  W.  Eead  of  Sacramento;  D.  Howcroft  of  Newcastle;  and  the  Earl  Fruit  Com- 
pany, the  F.  H.  Buck  Fruit  Company,  and  the  Silva-Bergtholdt  Company. 

t  Courtesy  of  the  California  Fruit  Exchange. 


UNIVERSITY    OF    CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT    STATION 


Plums. — The  proper  time  of  picking  plums  varies  with  the  variety 
and  depends  upon  its  firmness  of  flesh,  thickness  of  skin,  and  other 
factors  which  determine  the  "keeping  quality."  Firm  rather  dry 
varieties  may  be  left  on  the  trees  longer  than  the  more  tender-skinned, 
juicy  sorts.  In  general,  plums  for  long  distance  shipping  are  picked 
in  a  hard-ripe  condition,  when  they  are  of  proper  size  for  the  variety. 

The  following  tablet  indicates  the  approximate  relative  times  of 
ripening  of  the  principal  shipping  varieties  in  the  Sacramento  Valley: 


Variety 

Time  of 

Ripening 

Beauty 

June 

1- 

—  June  10 

Clyman 

June 

3- 

—  June  17 

Botan  (Abundance) 

June 

6- 

-  June  29 

Tragedy 

June  10  - 

-  July     1 

Formosa 

June  10  - 

—  June  25 

Red  June 

.  June  12  - 

-  July     1 

Climax 

June 

15- 

—  July     3 

California  Blue  (Vacaville) 

June  20  - 

-  July     3 

Santa  Rosa 

June  25  - 

-July  15 

Burbank 

June  28  - 

-July  15 

California  Red 

July 

5- 

-Aug.  20 

Purple  Duane 

July 

5- 

-Aug.  25 

Wickson 

July 

10- 

-July  25 

Bradshaw 

July 

10- 

-July  25 

Simonii 

July 

10- 

-July  25 

Green  Gage 

July 

10- 

-July  20 

Diamond 

July 

15- 

—  Aug.     5 

Gaviota 

July 

20- 

—  Aug.     5 

Kelsey 

July 

20- 

-Aug.  10 

Sugar 

July 

20- 

-Aug.  10 

Satsuma 

July 

25- 

—  Aug.     5 

Washington 

July 

25- 

—  Aug.     5 

Jefferson 

Aug. 

1- 

—  Aug.  15 

Fellenberg   (Italian) 

Aug. 

1- 

—  Aug.  15 

Yellow  Egg 

Aug. 

1- 

-Aug.  10 

Giant 

Aug. 

1- 

—  Aug.  15 

Grand  Duke 

Aug. 

1- 

-Aug.  20 

Gros  (Hungarian) 

Aug. 

5- 

-Aug.  20 

American  Blue  (German) 

Aug. 

15- 

-Sept.    1 

President 

Aug. 

15- 

-Sept.    1 

How  to  Pick 

Apricots  and  plums  should  be  picked  carefully  by  hand  with  the 
stems  attached,  if  possible,  and  gently  placed  in  the  picking  receptacle, 
never  thrown  or  dropped.  Each  fruit  is  separated  from  the  spur  by 
a  slight  twist  or  upward  turn  (fig.  1).     It  should  never  be  jerked  or 

t  Courtesy  of  the  California  Fruit  Exchange. 


CIRCULAR  239]       HARVESTING   AND  HANDLING  APRICOTS  AND  PLUMS  3 

pulled,  for  this  tears  and  breaks  the  skin  about  the  stem,  which  favors 
decay.  One  hand  should  be  used  to  hold  the  branch  while  the  fruit  is 
picked.  The  bloom  of  such  plums  as  Grand  Duke,  Diamond,  Tragedy, 
Giant,  President,  and  Gros  should  be  disturbed  as  little  as  possible, 
for  this  waxy  material  adds  to  the  "keeping  quality"  as  well  as  to 
the  appearance. 


Fig.  1. — Picking  plums.  Note  the  method  of  picking,  position  of  ladder,  and 
picking  receptacle.     Lugs  can  be  seen  in  the  background  in  the  shade  of  a  tree. 

There  are  three  to  five  pickings,  according  to  the  rapidity  with 
which  the  fruit  ripens.  At  the  first  picking  generally  only  a  few  of 
the  fruits  most  exposed  to  the  sun  are  in  proper  condition  for  har- 
vesting. 

Picking  Equipment 

Picking  receptacles. — There  are  several  types  of  picking  pails  and 
baskets  (fig.  2).  Perforated  tin  pails  or  wooden  stave  baskets  are 
satisfactory  so  long  as  sufficient  ventilation  for  the  fruit  is  provided. 
One  advantage  of  the  tin  pail  is  said  to  be  that  careless  pickers  can 
be  readily  detected  by  the  sound  made  by  fruit  dropped  into  it.  The 
pail  will  last  two  or  three  seasons  longer  than  the  basket  and  does  not 
scratch  nor  cut  the  fruit.  Both  baskets  and  pails  are  provided  wk'.> 
hooks  for  hanging  on  the  trees  or  the  ladders  (fig.  1). 


4  UNIVERSITY    OF    CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT    STATION 

Ladders. — The  three-legged  ladder  is  now  used  in  most  orchards 
(fig.  1).  There  are  many  styles,  most  of  them  being  satisfactory,  as 
they  are  well  constructed,  of  first-class  material,  and  light  enough  to 
be  handled  by  the  picker.  The  lower  steps  of  the  ladder  are  quickly 
worn  by  constant  climbing.  This  may  be  prevented  by  tacking  a 
strand  of  heavy  wire  about  an  inch  from  the  edge,  on  top  of  each  step 
most  frequently  used. 

Lug  boxes. — The  orchard  box  or  lug  box  into  which  the  fruit  is 
emptied  from  the  picking  receptacle  should  be  well  made,  preferably 
with  corner  posts,  wide  enough  to  enable  the  basket  or  pail  to  be 


Fig.   2. — (a)    Picking  pail,   punched  with  holes   to   provide  ventilation.      (&) 
Picking  basket. 


lowered  to  the  bottom  for  emptying,  and  with  ends  raised  above  the 
sides  so  that  when  filled  and  piled  one  above  the  other  there  will 
be  no  danger  of  bruising  the  fruit  (fig.  3).  The  ends  of  the  boxes 
should  have  grooves  to  facilitate  handling  when  full.  The  40-pound 
lug  box  is  the  best  for  soft  fruits;  the  use  of  larger  boxes  tends  to 
cause  bruising  of  the  fruit.  Suitable  dimensions  for  a  lug  box  are : 
width  inside,  12  inches;  depth  inside,  iy2  inches;  length  outside,  22 
inches. 

Handling  the  Picking  Crew 

A  good  foreman. — The  selection  of  a  capable  foreman  should  be 
the  first  consideration  of  a  fruit  grower  in  picking  his  crop.  The 
foreman  should  have  considerable  experience  in  orchard  work  and  be 
intimately  acquainted  with  the  fruit  business.  He  should  know  the 
characteristics  of  the  different  varieties,  the  time  of  ripening,  and 


CIRCULAR  239]       HARVESTING   AND  HANDLING  APRICOTS  AND  PLUMS  5 

the  proper  condition  of  the  fruit  for  picking.  He  must  know  how  to 
manage  the  pickers  so  that  the  fruit  will  arrive  at  the  packing  house 
in  just  the  proper  condition  for  packing.  Fruit  that  arrives  green  or 
over-ripe  indicates  that  the  picking  foreman  is  not  paying  proper 
attention  to  his  work. 

Work  of  the  pickers. — The  pickers  are  supplied  with  picking 
receptacles  and  ladders  and  divided  into  groups  of  two.  Each  pair 
is  assigned  by  the  foreman  to  the  trees  and  given  instructions  regard- 


Fig.  3. — A  desirable  type  of  orchard  spring  wagon,  with  bed  the  same  height 
as  the  platform  of  the  packing  house.  Note  the  type  of  lugs  and  the  proper 
method  of  loading  them. 


ing  the  kind  of  fruit  desired.  As  the  picking  receptacles  are  filled, 
they  are  emptied  into  lug  boxes  which  have  been  previously  placed 
in  the  vicinity  by  the  delivery  man,  who  also  collects  the  harvested 
fruit.  When  emptying  fruit  into  the  lug  boxes,  the  picking  recep- 
tacle should  be  lowered  as  far  as  possible  into  the  box,  and  with  one 
hand  in  front  of  the  mouth  of  the  receptacle,  the  fruit  should  be  care- 
fully rolled  into  the  lug.  The  lug  boxes  should  be  filled  only  about 
six  inches  deep  and  kept  stacked  in  the  shade  while  waiting  to  be 
hauled  to  the  packing  house  (fig.  1). 

Pickers  are  generally  paid  by  the  hour  instead  of  by  the  amount 
of  fruit  harvested.  They  should,  however,  average  between  900  and 
1500  pounds  of  picked  fruit  per  day,  according  to  the  crop  and  its 
maturity. 


UNIVERSITY    OF    CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT    STATION 


Hauling  to  the  Packing  House 

It  must  be  remembered  that  apricots  and  plums  remain  fit  for 
consumption  only  a  comparatively  short  time  after  picking,  and  that 
the  ripening  processes  continue  at  a  faster  ra,te  after  picking  than 
before,  especially  while  the  fruit  remains  warm.  The  filled  lug  boxes 
should  be  gathered  promptly  and  transferred  to  the  packing  house 
without  delay  by  an  orchard  spring  wagon  or  truck,  which  should  be 
"easy  riding"  and  built  low  to  allow  convenient  loading  (fig.  3). 


Fig.  4. — Packing  table,  showing  bins  for  the  fruit  and  packing  platform  hold- 
ing the  crate.  Observe  slot  constructed  in  the  table  to  keep  the  paper  from  being 
blown  about. 


CIRCULAR  239]       HARVESTING  AND  HANDLING  APRICOTS  AND  PLUMS 


PACKING 

The  Packing  House 

There  are  many  types  of  structures  used  as  packing  houses,  rang- 
ing from  temporary  sheds  to  permanent  and  well  equipped  buildings. 
The  individual  grower  must  decide  for  himself  which  kind  he  shall 
use.  A  well-built  frame  building  providing  good  light  and  plenty 
of  ventilation,  makes  an  ideal  packing  house.     It  should  be  large 


II     ' 

£*JHBHHtsI        fS     ■■■**- 

"^BH                  aSsSfflsav^^l               *'$? 

mm.  J 

Fig.  5. — Packing  plums  from  a  mechanical  sizing  machine.  The  belt  in  the 
foreground  is  for  transfering  packed  crates  to  the  nailing  press. 

enough  to  accommodate  packing  tables,  nainng  presses,  and  packers, 
without  crowding  or  obstructing  the  packing  house  operations.  It 
should  have  a  wooden  floor  and  extending  platforms  to  permit  con- 
venient transfer  of  fruit. 

Arrangement. — The  grower  should  arrange  the  equipment  in  the 
packing  house  sj^stematically,  so  that  the  fruit  may  pass  through  the 
various  operations  of  unloading,  delivery  to  the  packers,  packing, 
inspecting,  nailing,  and  loading  with  the  least  amount  of  lost  motion, 
thus  reducing  the  cost  of  packing  to  the  minimum. 


8 


UNIVERSITY    OF    CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT    STATION 


Equipment  and  Supplies 

Packing  tables. — There  are  many  types  of  packing  tables  now  in 
use  (figs.  4-8).  Any  design  of  table  is  satisfactory  provided  bruising 
or  cutting  the  fruit  is  prevented.  For  convenience  in  packing,  the 
bin  should  be  about  four  feet  from  the  floor  and  inclined  at  a  slight 
angle  towards  the  packer.  A  narrow  shelf  constructed  above  the  table 
serves  to  hold  the  empty  crates  and  baskets.     Some  sort  of  a  packing 


Fig.  6. — A  poorly  arranged  packing  house.  Lack  of  systematic  arrangement 
reduces  the  rate  of  packing  and  increases  the  cost. 

platform  is  provided  to  hold  the  crate,  sloping  towards  the  packer  at 
an  angle  of  about  thirty  degrees.  A  desirable  type  of  table  (fig.  8) 
is  one  with  a  shelf  on  the  side  opposite  the  packer,  for  holding  the 
packed  crates. 

Inspection  tahle. — Some  means  should  be  provided  for  the  inspec- 
tion of  the  packed  crates.  A  specially  constructed  table  is  often  used 
for  this  purpose  (fig.  9). 

Nailing  press. — Every  packing  house  with  an  output  of  approx- 
imately two  hundred  crates  per  day  should  be  supplied  with  a  press 
for  holding  the  lids  in  place  while  being  nailed  (figs.  10,  11).  The 
saving  in  time  will  quickly  pay  the  cost  of  such  a  device. 

Hand  trucks. — Many  packing  houses  are  furnished  with  one  or 
more  hand  transfer  or  ' '  grab ' '  trucks,  for  the  purpose  of  transferring 
lug  boxes  and  crates  within  the  packing  house  and  for  loading  and 


Fig.  7. — Packing  table  with  shelf  opposite  the  packer  for  holding  packed  crates. 


Fig.   8. — Interior   of  packing  house  showing  arrangement   of  packing  tables. 
Plenty  of  light  and  ventilation  are  provided  by  the  windows  and  lattice  walls. 


10 


UNIVERSITY    OF    CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT    STATION 


Fig.  9. — An  inspection  table  is  desirable  for  examination  and  correction  of 
packs.  Small  fruit  or  fruit  for  local  markets  is  shipped  in  California  lugs,  seen 
on  lower  shelf. 


Fig.   10. — Orate  in  nailing  press  prior  to   application   of  lid  and  cleats. 


CIRCULAR  239]       HARVESTING   AND  HANDLING  APRICOTS  AND  PLUMS 


11 


unloading  the  trucks  or  cars.     This  labor-saving  device   is  highly 
recommended. 

Crate  material. — At  the  present  time  two  principal  styles  of 
standard  crates  are  being  used  for  plum  and  apricot  shipping;  the 
solid-side  crate  (fig.  12),  in  the  Newcastle,  Auburn,  and  San  Joaquin 
Valley  districts,  and  the  eight-slat  crate  (fig.  14),  in  the  Vacaville  and 
Winters  sections.  The  shortcomings  of  the  eight-slat  crate  are  its 
frailty,  ease  of  breaking,  and  lack  of  support  given  to  the  sides  of 
the  baskets.  The  solid-side  crate  is  a  much  stronger  container,  allows 
sufficient  ventilation,  and  eliminates  a  great  deal  of  breakage,  and  is 
therefore  recommended  for  apricot  and  plum  packing. 

Specifications  for  the  above  mentioned  crates  are  as  follows : 
Solid-side  crate: 

Ends,  %"  X  4%"  X  16",  two  pieces. 

Sides,  %6"  X  3%"  X  17%",  two  pieces. 

Bottom,  3/16"  x  5%"  X  17%*,  two  pieces. 

Tops,  %"  X  7%"  X  17y2",  two  pieces. 

Cleats,  %"  X  %"  X  16",  two  pieces. 


Fig.  11. — Crate  in  the  press  with  lid  and  cleats  in  place  ready  for  nailing. 


12 


UNIVERSITY    OF    CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT    STATION 


Use  cement-coated  4d  special  orange  box  nails  for  sides  and  bot- 
toms, 5d  for  tops ;  total,  20  4d,  8  5d  nails  to  the  crate. 
Eight-slat  crate: 

Ends,  n/1G"  X  4y2"  X  16",  two  pieces. 

Sides  and  bottom,  *4"  X  I1//'  X  17%",  eight  pieces. 

Tops,  y8"  X  8"  X  17V2",  two  pieces. 

Cleats,  %"  X  %"  X  16",  two  pieces. 


Fig.  12. — Labeling  the  ends.  The  slide  is  seen  containing  the  labeled  ends.  A 
wide  brush  is  used  to  smooth  the  labels  and  to  wash  off  excess  paste.  Stacks  of 
ends  in  the  background  are  drying. 


Use  cement-coated  4d  special  orange  box  nails  for  sides  and  bot- 
toms ;  5d  nails  for  tops  ■  total,  32  4d,  8  5d  nails  to  the  crate. 

The  measurements  of  these  crates  are  identical.  Standard  crates 
are  made  in  three  depths ;  4i/4",  4y2",  or  4%"  deep. 

Rubber  stamps . — The  standardization  law  of  California*  requires 
that  all  containers  of  fruit  shall  be  properly  labeled  with  the  variety 
and  style  of  pack.  A  satisfactory  way  of  supplying  this  information 
is  by  the  use  of  rubber  stamps  bearing  these  items,  e.g.,  "Climax," 
"5X5." 

Labels. — The  law  requires  that  all  containers  of  fruit  shall  bear 
the  name  of  the  orchard  where  the  fruit  is  produced,  the  post-office 


* 'California  Fresh  Fruit  and  Vegetable  Standardization  Act.     Copies  may  be 
obtained  from  the  California  State  Department  of  Agriculture,  Sacramento. 


CIRCULAR  239]       HARVESTING  AND  HANDLING  APRICOTS  AND  PLUMS 


13 


address  thereof,  the  name  of  the  person,  firm,  or  organization  that 
ships  it,  and  the  minimum  net  weight.  Such  facts  are  generally 
printed  on  a  lithographed  label  which  is  pasted  on  the  end  of  the 
crate  by  the  shipper  or  sometimes  stamped  or  stenciled  on  the  ends 
when  the  shook  is  made  at  the  factory. 


Fig.  13. — Making  the  eight-slat  crate.  The  "spreader"  is  seen  holding  the 
bottom  slats  equi-distant  apart  for  nailing.  The  form  shown  is  made  of  wood 
and  is  inferior  to  a  form  constructed  of  steel. 


Baskets. — The  standard  apricot  and  plum  basket  is  a  sloping-sided 
container,  measuring  approximately  eight  inches  square  on  top,  six 
and  one-half  inches  on  the  bottom,  and  four  inches  in  depth,  inside 
measurements.  The  basket  is  made  of  thin  veneer,  the  top  edges  being 
fitted  with  a  thin  piece  of  tin. 

Paper. — A  strip  of  tissue  paper,  iy2  inches  wide  and  32  inches 
long,  is  used  in  packing  apricots  and  plums.  This  paper  acts  as  a 
cushion,  holds  the  fruit  in  place,  prevents  bruises  and  the  spread  of 
decay,  in  addition  to  adding  attractiveness  to  the  pack,  especially 
when  a  small  colored  design  is  printed  upon  it, 


14 


UNIVERSITY    OF    CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT    STATION 


Layer  board  or  separator. — In  some  instances  a  thin  veneer  or 
pasteboard  "shim"  is  placed  between  the  layers  of  fruit  in  each 
basket.  This  "separator"  is  especially  desirable  for  "broken"  packs, 
since  it  allows  placing  the  fruit  on  a  level  surface.  Although  just 
coming  into  use  again  after  having  been  discarded  for  15  or  20  years, 
it  is  believed  that  separators  will  be  adopted  more  extensively  in  the 
future  for  packing  apricots  and  plums. 


Fig.  14. — The  side  pieces  are  applied  to  the  crate  while  resting  it  upon  a  lower 
shelf. 

Personnel  of  the  Packing  House 

Foreman  and  assistants. — The  management  of  the  packing  house 
should  be  intrusted  to  a  man  who- understands  every  detail  of  packing 
and  preparing  the  fruit  for  shipment.  He  must  be  a  man  who  can 
assume  responsibility  and  get  the  maximum  results  from  the  packing 
crew.  He  should  be  assisted  by  men  or  women  of  considerable  experi- 
ence in  apricot  and  plum  packing,  their  number  depending  upon  the 
number  of  packers. 

Packers. — In  packing  plums  and  apricots  men,  women,  and  girls 
are  employed.     Experience  has  shown  that  women  and  girls  put  up 


Circular  239]      HARVESTING  AND  HANDLING  APRICOTS  AND  plums 


15 


better  packs,  though  less  in  number,  than  do  men,  and  they  are  usually 
preferred  because  greater  returns  are  obtained  from  a  few  neat  and 
attractive  packs  than  from  many  hurried  and  inferior  packs. 

The  common  method  at  the  present  time  is  to  pay  by  the  hour 
rather  than  by  the  crate.  During  the  season  of  1921  the  average 
price  for  packers  was  thirty  cents  per  hour.  The  average  daily  out- 
put of  a  packer  is  in  the  neighborhood  of  forty-five  crates  while 
some  packers  develop  a  speed  of  ninety  crates  in  a  ten-hour  day. 

Crate  makers. — Making  up  the  shook  may  be  arranged  by  con- 
tracting with  expert  crate  makers  who  travel  through  the  fruit  sections 
during  harvest  season.     Many  growers,  however,  employ  local  men 


(a) 
STM/GHT  0£ 
5QU/72E  P/?CX 


(b) 
CffSfT  P/7CK 


(CJ 

D//?GOff/7L   OP 
D//7MO//l>  PtfCX 


Fig.  15. — Styles  of  apricot  and  plum  packs. 


or  boys  for  this  work.  An  expert  crate  maker  constructs  as  many 
as  1200  crates  per  day,  but  the  average  is  about  700.  The  pay  during 
the  season  of  1921  was  one  dollar  a  hundred  crates. 

Inspectors  and  nailers. — Usually  one  man  acts  both  as  inspector 
and  nailer  for  the  packed  crates.  The  inspector  must  be  capabje  and 
conscientious  in  his  work.  He  must  be  familiar  with  the  standard- 
ization law  and  the  interpretations  thereof,  and  should  be  careful  to 
return  all  packs  which  are  below  the  proper  standards.  He  is  the 
last  man  to  see  the  fruit  before  it  is  opened  on  the  market  and  the 
final  responsibility  rests  upon  him. 

Helpers. — Other  operations  in  the  packing  house,  such  as  receiving 
and  supplying  the  fruit  and  empty  crates  to  the  packers,  punching 
packers'  tickets,  transferring  the  packed  boxes  to  the  nailer,  removing 
cull  fruit,  and  loading  the  packed  crates,  are  intrusted  to  floor  boys. 
These  boys  should  be  alert,  energetic,  and  strong  enough  to  perform 
a  day's  work. 


16  UNIVERSITY   OF    CALIFORNIA — EXPERIMENT    STATION 


Operations  in  the  Packing  House 

Labeling. — Labeling  is  most  conveniently  done  before  the  crates 
are  made.  The  lithographed  labels  should  be  removed  from  their 
bundles  and  spread  out  in  water  for  at  least  twelve  hours  previous  to 
pasting  in  order  that  the  paste  may  thoroughly  penetrate  the  paper. 
Labels  that  are  put  on  dry  curl  and  drop  off  when  the  paste  dries. 
The  paste  should  be  made  about  twelve  hours  before  application  so 
that  it  will  stick  well.  A  convenient  device  for  labeling  is  a  form  or 
slide  of  such  depth  and  width  as  to  accommodate  the  end  pieces  and 
long  enough  to  contain  from  thirty  to  fifty  ends  (fig.  13).  This  is 
constructed  as  a  table  raised  about  three  and  a  half  feet  from  the 
floor. 

The  end  pieces  are  placed  side  by  side  in  this  form  and  the  paste 
is  applied  with  a  wide  brush  to  the  entire  row.  The  labels  are  then 
taken  from  the  water  and  carefully  placed  on  the  ends.  The  excess 
paste  is  washed  off  with  a  brush  and  clean  water,  and  the  ends  are 
then  stacked  until  dry. 

One  person  labels  and  stacks,  on  the  average,  about  twenty-five 
hundred  ends  per  ten  hours.  The  cost  of  labeling  averages  about 
twenty-five  cents  a  hundred  ends. 

Making  the  crates. — A  steel  or  wooden  frame  on  a  nailing  bench 
is  used  in  making  the  crates  (figs.  14,  15).  A  steel  frame  is  best 
because  it  is  more  durable,  does  not  get  out  of  alignment,  and  may 
also  be  adjusted  for  making  other  types  of  boxes  or  crates. 

The  box  maker  places  one  labeled  end  and  one  plain  end  in  the 
frame  and  nails  on  the  bottom  pieces.  The  unions  should  be  made 
square  and  accurate  and  the  nails  driven  flush  with  the  surface  of 
the  wood,  not  sunk.  Nails  whose  points  are  exposed  should  be  with- 
drawn. The  half-finished  crate  is  taken  from  the  form  and  placed 
on  a  lower  shelf,  and  the  side  pieces  applied.  The  nailer  stacks  the 
completed  crates  behind  him  and  they  are  later  removed  and  supplied 
with  baskets. 

In  making  the  eight-slat  crate,  a  "spreader"  is  used  to  secure 
uniform  spacing  of  the  four  bottom  pieces  (figs.  14,  15). 

Receiving  and  supplying  fruit  to  the  packers. — The  lug  boxes  filled 
with  fruit  are  unloaded  from  the  orchard  wagon  or  truck  at  the 
packing  house  door  by  the  driver  and  floor  boys.  The  floor  boys 
empty  the  lugs  into  the  packing  bins,  using  one  hand  and  the  fore- 
arm to  prevent  bruising  the  fruit  as  they  carefully  roll  it  out. 

Packing  the  crate. — As  with  the  packing  of  all  fruits,  grading  is 
of  first  importance.     The  standardization  law  defines  how  the  fruit 


CIRCULAR  239]       HARVESTING   AND  HANDLING  APRICOTS  AND  PLUMS 


17 


shall  be  graded.  All  fruits  which  are  blemished,  infested,  or  injured 
in  any  way  should  be  discarded.  Only  fruit  of  uniform,  quality,  size, 
and  maturity  should  be  packed  in  the  same  crate.  The  standardiza- 
tion law  also  defines  the  packing  of  these  fruits.  A  standard  pack  is 
three  layers  deep ;  no  pack  shall  contain  fruits  which  vary  more  than 
one-quarter  inch  in  cross-section,  and  no  layer  below  the  top  layer 
shall  contain  greater  numerical  count  than  the  top  layer. 


I^BP^i^— 111               """"ITWi 

Fig.   16. — Packing  apricots, 
layer. 


(a)    Bottom   layer,    (b)    middle  layer,    (c)    top 


The  crate  containing  the  four  baskets  is  first  placed  in  position 
on  the  packing  platform  and  the  paper  so  placed  as  to  cover  one-half 
of  the  bottom  of  each  basket,  allowing  the  remaining  portion  to  lap 
over  the  sides  of  the  crate. 

There  are  three  "styles"  of  pack,  the  "straight"  or  "even"  pack 
(fig.  15a),  the  "offset"  pack  (fig.  15b),  and  the  "diagonal"  pack 
(fig.  15c).  The  kind  of  pack  to  use  depends  upon  the  size  and  shape 
of  the  fruit.  The  "straight"  pack  is  employed  for  those  fruits  which 
can  be  placed  cheek  to  cheek  and  just  fill  the  width  of  the  basket, 


18 


UNIVERSITY   OF    CALIFORNIA — EXPERIMENT    STATION 


without  forcing,  and  yet  close  enough  so  that  they  will  be  held  firmly 
in  place.  If  the  fruits  are  of  such  shape  that  they  will  not  fit  snugly 
in  place  by  the  ''straight"  method  then  the  "offset"  pack  should  be 
used.  The  "diagonal"  pack  is  used  for  very  large  fruit,  which  will 
not  pack  by  either  of  the  other  methods. 

Plums   and  apricots   are  packed  either  "solid"   throughout  the 
basket  or  by  the  so-called  "broken  pack"  method.     In  the  "solid" 


[i 

1 

|f|f| 

R> 

Fig.  17. — Packing  plums,     (a)  Bottom  layer;   (&)  middle  layer;   (c)  top  layer. 

pack  the  same  numerical  count  occurs  in  each  layer.  It  is  obvious 
that  in  the  standard  apricot  and  plum  basket  measuring  8  inches 
square  on  top,  6^2  inches  square  on  the  bottom,  and  4  inches  deep 
inside,  it  is  practically  impossible  to  utilize  the  "solid"  pack  and 
keep  within  the  tolerance  of  V4  of  an  inch  difference  in  diameter  of 
fruits  as  between  the  bottom  and  top  layers.  The  "broken  pack"  is 
therefore  recommended  as  the  pack  which  will  permit  entire  com- 
pliance with  the  requirements  of  the  law  so  far  as  size  is  concerned. 

Packing  of  apricots. — Apricots  are  packed  by  arranging  the  bottom 
layer  with  the  stem-end  up  or  the  fruit  on  its  side  depending  upon  the 


CIRCULAR  239]       HARVESTING   AND  HANDLING  APRICOTS  AND  PLUMS 


19 


size  and  shape  of  the  variety  (fig.  16).  Great  pains  must  be  used  in 
packing  the  bottom  layer,  for  the  appearance  of  the  top  depends  upon 
the  foundation.  After  the  first  layer  is  packed  the  paper  is  folded 
over  it.  It  is  generally  necessary  to  employ  another  style  of  pack 
for  the  second  layer  in  order  to  maintain  uniform  sizing.  Thus,  if  a 
"straight"  style  were  used  in  the  first  layer,  an  "offset"  should  be 
used  in  the  second.  The  fruit  is  placed  either  on  end  or  on  its  side, 
care  being  used  to  secure  a  firm  level  pack.  This  arrangement  gives 
a  greater  number  of  fruits  in  the  second  layer  than  in  the  first,  but 


Fig.  18. — Automobile  truck  loaded  with  packed  crates. 

the  size  remains  nearly  the  same.  The  paper  is  next  folded  over  the 
second  layer.  The  top'  layer  is  packed  differently,  in  that  the  fruits 
are  placed  crosswise  of  the  crate,  being  laid  on  their  sides  with  the 
creases  down,  the  stem-ends  all  pointing  in  the  same  direction  and 
being  fitted  together  in  such  a  manner  that  the  apex  of  each  apricot  fits 
into  the  cavity  of  the  one  adjacent  to  it.  The  same  style  of  pack  is 
used  in  the  top  layer  as  in  the  second  layer.  Having  placed  the  top 
layer  in  all  baskets  the  paper  is  folded  over  the  completed  pack. 

Packing  of  plunis. — The  packing  of  plums  is,  with  some  variations, 
similar  to  the  packing  of  apricots  (fig.  17).  The  first  layer  is  placed 
in  the  baskets  with  the  fruit  either  on  its  side  or  with  the  stem  up 
or  down,  depending  upon  the  size  and  shape  of  the  variety.     With 


20 


UNIVERSITY    OF    CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT    STATION 


some  kinds  (notably  the  Tragedy)  the  best  pack  is  obtained  when  the 
fruit  is  given  a  slight  slant,  A  great  deal  of  experience  in  plum 
packing  is  necessary  in  order  to  know  these  details.  The  second  layer 
is  placed  the  same  way  as  the  bottom  one,  care  being  taken  again  to 
obtain  a  solid  level  pack.  The  top  layer  is  generally  packed  with  the 
apex  of  the  plum  pointing  up.  With  some  varieties,  however,  as  the 
Wickson,  which  has  a  very  tender  apex,  the  top  layer  must  be  arranged 
by  placing  the  fruit  on  its  side.  The  top  layer  of  certain  other 
varieties,  such  as  the  Tragedy,  is  best  packed  by  slanting  the  fruit. 
The  "broken''  packs  listed  below*  show  the  number  of  plums  in 
each  layer  within  the  same  basket,  and  an  attempt  has  been  made 


Plum  Packs 

Variety 
Grand  Duke 

Pond     (Gros,     Hungarian) 
and  other  long,  oval  plums 

Bottom  layer 
3X3 

Middle  layer 
3X4 

Top  layer 
3X4 

Tragedy 
American  Blue 
Beauty 
Clyman 

California  Blue 
Wickson 

(German) 

.         4X5 

5  X  5 

5X5 

Tragedy 
American  Blue 
Beauty 
Clyman 
California  Blue 

5X5 

5X0 

5X6 

Giant 
Pond 

Santa  Eosa 
Burbank 
Formosa 

3X4 

4X4 

4X5 

California  Eed 

President 

Kelsey 

Wickson 

Pond 

4X4 

4X5 

4X5 

Tragedy 
American  Blue 
Beauty 
Clyman 
California  Blue 

5X6 

6X6 

6X6 

*  Plum  packs  suggested  by  F.  W.  Eead,  Chief  of  the  Bureau  of  Standardiza- 
tion, California  State  Department  of  Agriculture.     June  17,  1921. 


CIRCULAR  239]       HARVESTING   AND  HANDLING  APRICOTS  AND  PLUMS  21 

to  list  some  of  the  more  common  varieties  which  are  adapted  to  the 
packs  indicated.  The  list,  however,  is  admittedly  incomplete  and  is 
given  only  as  a  general  guide.  Certain  varieties  attain  a  greater  size 
in  some  counties  than  in  others  and  it  may  be  found,  therefore,  that 
the  packs  suggested  will  not  always  hold  for  the  varieties  listed. 

Fruit  too  large  for  packing  in  the  crate  may  be  packed  in  peach 
boxes,  using  cleats  under  the  cover  if  necessary.  Small  fruit  is  some- 
times shipped  in  California  (Los  Angeles)  lugs  without  packing. 


Fig.  19. — A  light  canvas  cover  protects  the  fruit  from  the  sun's  heat  and  the 
dust  from  the  road. 


Fruit  from  the  packers. — When  the  packer  has  finished  a  crate  of 
apricots  or  plums  he  labels  it  in  pencil  with  the  variety,  style  of  pack, 
and  his  number,  and  calls  for  a  floor  boy  who  punches  a  ticket  giving 
the  packer  credit  for  the  finished  crate.  The  crate  is  carried  by  the 
floor  boy,  or  sometimes  by  the  nailer,  to  the  inspection  table. 

The  inspector,  who  is  also  generally  the  nailer,  examines  the  pack, 
noting  its  tightness,  uniformity,  alignment,  general  appearance,  and 
suitability  for  shipment.  If  a  crate  is  not  satisfactory  it  must  be  cor- 
rected. Accepted  crates  are  placed  in  the  nailing  press  (figs.  10,  11), 
the  two  top  pieces  and  cleats  laid  in  place  and  the  top  pressed  down. 
Packed  crates  should  have  a  bulge  of  one-half  to  three-quarters  of  an 
inch  so  that  they  will  ship  well.    The  bulge  must  not  be  higher  than 


22  UNIVERSITY    OF    CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT    STATION 

the  top  end  cleats,  otherwise  the  crates  will  ' '  ride. y '    With  extra  high 
packs  additional  cleats  should  be  used. 

Stamping  and  stacking.— The  stamping  is  done  by  the  nailer.  He 
notes  the  style  of  pack  as  marked  by  the  packer,  stamps  the  crate 
accordingly.  The  packed  crates  are  stacked  about  ten  high,  with  each 
crate  resting  directly  on  the  cleats  of  the  one  beneath  it.  For  con- 
venience in  counting  and  loading,  crates  of  the  same  variety  and 
style  of  pack  should  be  placed  in  the  same  pile. 


LOADING  FOR  SHIPMENT 

Delivery  to  the  Cars 

The  packed  crates  are  delivered  to  the  refrigerator  car  by  wagon 
or  automobile  truck  (fig.  18).  The  conveyance  should  be  "easy 
riding"  to  prevent  bruising  of  the  fruit.  The  load  should  be  packed 
snugly  so  that  at  all  times  each  crate  will  rest  directly  upon  the  cleats 
of  the  one  below  it,  with  no  possibility  of  shifting.  It  is  advisable  to 
keep  the  load  covered  with  a  light  canvas  to  avoid  excess  heating  in 
the  sun  and  to  protect  from  the  dust  of  the  roads  (fig.  19).  If  there 
is  a  railroad  siding  at  the  packing  house  the  packed  crates  are  trans- 
ferred direct  to  the  car  by  means  of  hand  transfer  trucks. 

Loading  the  Cars 

Railroad  tariff  regulations  allow  26,000  pounds  as  a  minimum  load 
for  a  car  of  fresh  fruit  from  California  to  eastern  points.  Apricot 
and  plum  crates  are  estimated  at  twenty-six  pounds  gross  weight. 
It  would  require,  therefore,  one  thousand  crates  to  make  the  minimum 
carload  weight.  The  crates  are  loaded  lengthwise  of  the  car  in  tiers, 
five  crates  wide  and  nine  or  ten  high  (fig.  20)  ;  there  are  twenty-one 
tiers  in  a  car,  ten  tiers  loaded  on  one  side  of  the  doorway  and  eleven 
on  the  other,  allowing  a  space  of  three  feet  in  the  center  for  bracing 
(fig.  21),  thus: 

11  tiers,  5  crates  wide,  10  crates  high 550  crates 

10  tiers,  5  crates  wide,     9  crates  high 450  crates 

21  tiers  1000  crates 

The  bracing  of  the  car  is  very  important  in  order  to  insure  a  safe 
arrival  of  the  fruit.  Directions  for  bracing  may  be  obtained  from  the 
railroad  authorities. 


Circular  239]       HARVESTING   AND  HANDLING  APRICOTS  AND  PLUMS  23 


Fig.  20. — Interior  of  refrigerator  car,  showing  manner  of  loading  and 
' '  stripping. ' ' 


Fig.    21. — A   loaded   car   with    "bracing"    in   place. 


24  UNIVERSITY    OF    CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT    STATION 


Cost  of  Materials  and  Operations  for  Handling  Plums 

During  the  season  of  1921  the  following  data  were  secured  from 
the  Silva  Bergtholdt  orchards  at  Newcastle  :* 

Cost  of  production  on  trees,  per  crate $  .337 

Crate   and    label 125 

Baskets    054 

Paper  .002 

Making  crates,  and  nails 012 

Picking  and  hauling .135 

Packing  and  lidding 080 

Loading  and  bracing 030 

Total  cost  $  .775 


*  Courtesy  of  R.  E.  Hodges,  article  in  Pacific  Eural  Press,  Vol.  CII,  No.  5, 
July  30,  1921. 


